Tuesday, November 15, 2005

What causes seizures in dogs?: "Seizures can be caused by a variety of things including both primary and secondary epilepsy. They can also be the result of a blow to the head, calcium deficiencies in nursing mothers, end stage heartworm disease, toxic plants, chemicals, fertilizers and poisonings. There is even evidence that seizures may be have a hereditary factor involved since there are several breeds such as the Belgian Tervureren, German Shepherd, Dachshunds and others that have a higher incidence of them than other purebred dogs.
If a seizure happens to your dog, the important thing is for you to stay calm. This is especially hard to do when your beloved pet is in the throes of what appears to be pure agony but you must be in control of yourself. Keep a calm, quiet tone of voice while you attempt to comfort the dog. If there is furniture, doors or anything that the dog could hurt itself on during the seizure, move it if possible. If you are unable to move the danger, wrap blankets or place pillows between the dog and the object. Slide something soft under the dog�s head but make sure you do not get your face or hands close enough to the mouth risking a possible bite. Dim the lights, turn off any loud music or TV and keep the environment as quiet as possible. Speak to your dog in a low, reassuring voice and perhaps gently stroke his side or hip. Also try to avoid being on the same side as the feet and toenails. As the muscles spasm, so do the legs making the feet curl into actual claws that can rake or gouge your skin.
During these times, take notes to contact your veterinarian with. Note the time of day it occurred, the duration of each seizure and the time in between them if they are recurrent. In addition to these things, the veterinarian will want to know if the dog regained consciousness, urinated or defecated, if the seizure progressed from mere bobody twitching or hit suddenly. He will probably ask if there had been any possibly triggering events such as fireworks, excessive exercising or playing, strange products or items eaten and how long it was before the dog appeared normal again."